tucker



(No Model.)

A. J. OEHRING & A. L. TUCKER. SCENIC THEATER APPARATUS FOR PEODUGING ECLIPSE EFFECTS:

.No. 559,400. Patented May 5,1896.

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AUGUST J. OEHRIN G AND ALBERT L. TUCKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS- SIGNORS TO THE WVESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SCENIC-THEATER APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ECLIPSE EFFECTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,400, dated May 5, 1896. Application filed May 13,1895. Serial No. 549,135. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, AUGUST J. OEHRING and ALBERT L.TUcKEE,citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county 0t Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Scenic Theater Apparatus for Producing Eclipse Effects, (Oehring, Case No. 13, and Tucker, Case No. 6,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to scenic-theater'apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for producing the appearance of an eclipse, the object of our invention being to project light upon the curtain or wall of the scenic theater in such a manner as to produce the appearance of an eclipse of the moon.

Our invention in its preferred form comprises an opaque plate provided with an aperture through which the light from a lantern may be projected to produce a circular spot of light upon the curtain, an opaque disk being provided adapted to be moved gradually across the circular opening to intercept the light and produce upon the curtain the appearance of an eclipse.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a View inelevation of an apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a View illustrating the two slides of the apparatus in position. Fig. 3 is a view of the slides, the aperture in the opaque plate being partially covered by the disk. Fig. 4 is a view of the disk-carrying slide.

rying the opaque plate I), provided with an aperture 6 is placed in the lantern, as shown, and behind it or in front of it is placed the slide 0, carrying the opaque disk 0, a cord 0 being attached to the slide a and adapted to be wound about a driven drum 0 to impart motion to the slide a. The disk 0' is mounted upon the end of an arm 0 the opposite end of which is pivoted to a link The opposite end of link 0 is pivoted to the standard a, mounted upon the frame of the slide. There is sufficient friction at the pivotal joints to maintain the disk 0 in any adjusted posi tion. The disk 0 normally rests to one side of the aperture 6 and at the proper time the slide 0 is advanced, thus causing the disk 0 to gradually pass across the aperture 1) to intercept the light projected upon the curtain and produce the appearance of an eclipse of the moon.

When the lantern is situated above the curtain upon which the light is projected, as illustrated in the application hereinbefore referred to, it will be necessary to make-the aperture 19 elliptical in shape, with the longer axis horizontal, in order that the light as it appears upon the curtain may have a circular outline.

Having described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I In a scenic-theater apparatus for producing the appearance of an eclipse of the moon, the combination with an opaque slide carrying an aperture through which the light is adapted to be passed to project a spot of light upon the curtain, of a second slide carrying an opaque disk adapted to intercept the light passing through said aperture, and means for moving said slides relatively; substantially as described.

In witness whereof we hereunto subscribe our namesthis 22d day of September,

AUGUST .I. OEHRING.

ALBERT L. TUCKER.

WVitnesses:

W. CLYDE JONES, GEORGE L. CRAGG. 

